Chapter 14 - The Letter Luca Never Read.
Victor brought the letter to Luca's apartment that night inside a clear archival sleeve.
The envelope had Luca's name handwritten across the front in Nia's unmistakable script.
It had been opened years earlier.
A faint coffee stain marked the corner.
Luca knew the stationery before he read a word because Nia had used the same cream paper for thank-you notes when they were together.
Where did you find it?
Victor sat across from him.
In a document safe behind Evelyn's dressing room cabinet.
There were old trust papers, jewelry certificates, and this.
Luca slid the letter out carefully.
The date was three weeks after Nia received the fake message and five months before the twins were born.
He began reading.
Luca, I don't know whether you will ever see this, but I need to try once more.
I am carrying twins.
I do not want money, and I do not want to force you into a relationship you no longer want.
I only need to hear the truth from you rather than from people who speak in your name.
If you truly want me gone, write one sentence in your own hand and I will stop trying.
But if there is any chance you did not send that message, find me before October.
Luca stopped reading.
October had been the month he traveled to London after accepting that Nia had disappeared by choice.
She had been waiting for him while he was leaving the country to forget her.
Victor lowered his voice.
There's more.
Luca forced himself to continue.
I still love you, and I hate that I have to write that after being told you want nothing to do with me.
I am afraid, but I am not ashamed of these babies.
They are already the most real thing in my life.
If you ever learn about them later, please know I tried to give you the chance to choose them now.
Luca put the letter down because his vision had blurred.
For several minutes, neither man spoke.
Victor finally said what Luca could not.
Your mother kept this.
Luca nodded.
That changed everything.
The forged message could theoretically have been blamed on an employee acting alone.
The false paternity report could be pushed toward Daniel and Caleb.
But the letter had been delivered directly to the Moretti estate and hidden in Evelyn's private safe.
She had known Nia doubted the message.
She had known Nia was asking Luca to contact her.
She had chosen silence anyway.
Luca photographed the envelope and letter for Maya, then drove to Nia's house.
He did not call ahead.
When Nia opened the door and saw his face, she knew something had happened.
He handed her the letter without speaking.
Nia read the first line and sat down on the stairs.
Where was this?
My mother's safe.
Nia looked up slowly.
She read it?
The envelope was already open.
Nia pressed the letter against her knees.
I waited three weeks after I mailed this.
Every day I thought you might appear.
Luca sat one step below her.
I was waiting too.
For what?
For you to come back.
Nia laughed softly through tears she refused to let fall.
We were both waiting because someone had convinced each of us the other had already decided.
Luca looked at the floor.
I'm sorry.
Nia shook her head.
You didn't hide the letter.
I still missed six years.
So did I.
The words sat between them without blame.
Luca finally looked at her.
I want to say something, and I don't want you to answer tonight.
Nia waited.
I still love you.
Her eyes closed briefly.
Luca continued before hope could turn the moment into pressure.
But I am not asking you to come back to me.
I am asking for the chance to become someone Noah and Lily can rely on, whether you ever trust me with anything else or not.
Nia looked at him for a long time.
Then the doorbell rang.
Maya stood outside holding a court notice.
Evelyn had filed a petition of her own.
She was asking for an emergency order preventing Luca from releasing the hidden letter, claiming it contained privileged family communications.
Nia stared at the document.
She still thinks she can bury it.
Maya shook her head.
Not exactly.
She pointed to the hearing date.
Tomorrow morning.
Then she pointed to the attached witness list.
May you like
Evelyn had named one witness for the hearing.
Claire Benson.
